Improvement in inkstands



@eine tutes gatrnt @fitte Letters .Patent No. 73,946, daten.v February 4, 1868.

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

' Be it known that I, JAMES BARWICK, of Silvertown, North Woolwich, in the county of Essex, England,

have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Inkstands;, and l herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of an inkstand` constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the saine. i

Figures 2'and 4 are like views of amodiied form of my invention.

Myinvention relates to inkstands, in which the ink, when not in use, can be made to recede from the inkcup into the' reservoir, the objectof such inkstands being, as is well knownjto expose only a limited quantity of the ink, and that only when it is required-to use' theink, to the action of' the atmosphere, so as to prevent,

as far as possible, the evaporating and thickening of the uid. i

To this effect I provide the ink-reservoir A, g. 1, which may be made of hard rubber, glass, or other suitablematerial, with a cup, B, through the axis of which passes a hollow tube, 0, closed at its upper end, and bearing on that portion which is received within the ink-reservoir a valve-plate, a, arranged 'to bear againstthe under side of the cup, soas to close the orifice or orifices in the bottom ot" the. same. IThese orifices b,.as shown in the drawings, are formed on opposite sides of the valve-tube, and open into the ink-reservoir. The closing of the orifices is electedby a tubular spring, D, of soft rubber or other suitable material, encircling the lower portionof the tube C, which, to this end, is made of considerably greater thickness, as is shown in the drawing, so as to iit snugly within the tubular'spring. The lower end of the latter rests upon the bottom of the reservoir, and its upper end bears against the under vside ofthe valve-plate a, in such manner as to hold it firmly against the valvejseat or under side of the ink-cup, so as'to prevent the escape of the fuid which may be in the said' cup. In order to more effectually close the orifices 6, a washer, d, of soft rubber, or other suitable material,

may be interposed-between the valve-plate and seat. l

When the ink-cup is filled, as shown in fig. 1, and it is desired to draw oft' the ink, the stem or tube C is pressed down so as to compress the tubular spring D, and separate the valve a from its seat, as shown in g. 2.

The ink now passes downwards through the orices 6, and between thevalve and valve-seat, and returns to the reservoir, as represented plainly n the figure referred to. After all the 'ink has been drawn oil', pressure is removed from the stem C, whereupon the spring D instantly forces the valve back into position, and the orifices are tightly closed,'as beforef In order to ll the cup B, whenever it is desired to use the ink, I employ the following means The reseri 'voir is provided' with a cup,'E, which carries a, bulbF, of soft rubber, placed over an orifice, e, in the bottom of the cup, which communicates with the interior of the reservoir. Inthe top of the bulb (which has a dome= like form) is an opening, covered by a valve or plate,f, which is made in one piece with the rubber bulb. A series of `apertures, g, isY formed in the lower part of the rubber sleeve or spring, D, extending below the lower end of the valve-tube G; and in the upper end of the tube, at a point considerably above the bottom of the cup B, one or more holes,` L, are made, through which the ink in the reservoir maybe forced into the ink-cup.

The operation of this portion of the inkstand is as follows: When the cup B, which we will suppose to be empty, is to be filled with ink, the elastic bulb is pressed down by the finger, which is placed upon the valve f, so as to sealtheopeningin the top of the bulb, as shown in fig. 1. By this action, the air within the reservoir is compressed, andscaused to exert a pressure upon the uid in the reservoir, which will force it through the aperture in the bottom-.of the tubular rubber spring, and up through the tube C, until it is discharged through theI holes h, and falls into the cup. If one depression of'the bulb does not suicc to force a suicient quantity of ink into the cup, the finger is removed, so as to allow the bulb Vto spring back, and `the valve f opens at the same time sutiicientlypto allow the air to'enter and replace the uid which has been forced into the cup. The operation is then repeated, and the pumping action continued until the requisite quantity of -uid has entered the clip. Generally two or three depression'sot` the bulb will be suicient for the purpose.

In Iig. Zvis shown a modified form of the inkstand.4 The pumpingbulb in this instance is dispensed.A with, and an elastic ring, K, of rubber is employed. This rubber ring is cured to both the sides and the top m of the reservoir, which are thus united by an elastic and iierrible connection. The rubber ringis so arranged as to hold the top or cover 'm at someolittle distance above the sides of the reservoir, whereby the top may be depressed `When occasion requires, and thus, like the bulb in iig. 1, forcethe ink up throngh the tube into the ink-cup. A perforation, r, in the top or'cover, is covered by a valve or flap, S, the functions of thetwo being similar to those of the valvej' and opening e, Ain hg. 1. In operating the cover so as to force the ink into the cup, the finger is placed over ,the valve s, so as 'to seal the openings', and prevent' the escapey of the air. Other means may be also employed to produce this pumping action,as will be readily understood without further explanation. l y

i The inkreservolr, cup, and valve I` prefer to make of hard rubber, and the'elastic or flexible parts of soft rubber, as these substances not only can be formed so' as to give a highly-ornamental appearance and nish to the inkstand, 'but also resist the action of the chemical ingredients which enter into the composition -of ink or p writing-huid. Other suitable substances, however, may be employed,i desired.

Havingnow described m'y invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into eect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, sl 1.v The combination, with :mink-reservoirand cup, of a valve for holding and discharging 'the ink which the cup may contain, said valve being arranged-Within the reservoir, so as to'close against the bottom or under side of the cup, substantially as herein shown'fand described.

2. The combination, with the ink-reservoir, dipping-cup, and valve, arranged. as above described, of a valve rod, passing centrally or axial-ly through the said cup, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

I 3. The combinatin, wi th the ink-reservoir, cup, and valve, of a hollow, valve-operating stem, extending from within, and near the bottom of the reservoir, up through and above the bottom of the nkfeup, substantially vas and for the purposes shown and described. y. I l

4. The eombinatiomwith the ink-reservoir, dipping-cup, and valve, of a rubber sleeve or other device for holding thevalve against'its seat with a yielding pressure, substantially in the manner herein shown and specified..

`5. In an inkstand organized substantiallyA as herein shown and described, I claim providing'the valve-stem,

when hollow, with,discharge-openings, within the capacity of the ink-cup, and above the intended level of the ink held in the same,-substantiallyas and for the purposes shown and specified.

y 6. The combination, withthe closed ink-reservoir, the elastic bulb, or equivalent device for compressing the air within the same and the ink-cup, of e. tube or conduit, opening!L from the reservoir into the cup at a point l above `the bottom of the latter, and ya valve for holding and discharging the ink contained within the cup, substautially as' and for the purposes shown and specified.

In testimonyy whereof, Iliave signed this specification before tvv'o subscribing witnesses.

`JAMES. BARWICK Witnesses:

A. PoLLoK, S. TINDALL. 

